Article updated: 12/13/2011 2:16 PM

Meet the last manual elevator operator in Elgin

87-year-old would ‘rather be busy than idle'

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Allan L. Wudi is the morning elevator operator at the Elgin Tower Building. There is a gate and main door that has to be opened at each stop.

Laura Stoecker | Staff Photographer

Allan L. Wudi is the morning elevator operator at the Elgin Tower Building. He has worked at the building for the past 12 years.

Laura Stoecker | Staff Photographer

Allan L. Wudi is the morning elevator operator at the Elgin Tower Building. The lever controls the elevator going up and down.

Laura Stoecker | Staff Photographer

Allan L. Wudi is the morning elevator operator at the Elgin Tower Building. He has worked at the building for the past 12 years.

Laura Stoecker | Staff Photographer

Allan L. Wudi, age 87, is the morning elevator operator at the Elgin Tower Building. He has worked at the building for the past 12 years and doesn’t plan to quit anytime soon.

Laura Stoecker | Staff Photographer

Allan L. Wudi is the morning elevator operator at the Elgin Tower Building. He enjoys interacting with tenants and visitors to the historic building.

Laura Stoecker | Staff Photographer

Allan L. Wudi is the morning elevator operator at the Elgin Tower Building. He said he has seen a lot of people come and go over the past 12 years.

Laura Stoecker | Staff Photographer

About this Article

Allan Wudi operates the last manually operated elevator in Elgin and plans to continue doing so as long as he can. The 87-year-old Elgin man works part time shuttling people up and down the 15-story Tower Building at 100 E. Chicago St. “It's better to be active than sit in front of the TV and vegetate,” Wudi said.

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